Discuss the different brands, makes and models of printers used to print inkjet and laser heat transfers. Also includes information on the inks that can be used to make your own transfers.
For those who are experienced with inkjet transfers, please help!
I know that there is a ton of information in these threads, but it is getting a bit overwhelming for a newbie like me!
Now, my question is, what supplies do I need? I am a bit confused about what printer would be good without being super expensive, what ink is good for the transfers, and what paper is good to use?
What do you use?
Please, any tips, suggestions, advice?!
I appreciate any input!
If you're just starting out I would go cheap until you have it down pat, then buy the more expensive stuff, unless you have money to burn, in which case start with the best you can afford.
A good cheap printer is an Epson 88+ (around $90). Your printer is going to have to be dedicated to one ink type, so decide before you buy it. Epson printers are recommended because of the print head and the ink required for heat presses.
If you are using just plain transfers the ink that comes with the printer works just fine, but you can also buy ink from many of the vendors listed on the left of this screen.
If you are going to be sublimating, then you need special sublimation paper and ink.
I personally prefer a swingarm press, but clamshell presses are OK too, just have to watch for burns to hands & arms. Buy the largest press you can afford. Just remember, they are extremely heavy (50 # & up).
__________________ - Loretta - "In all thy ways acknowledge the Lord and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6 www.DistinctiveImprinting.com
A good cheap printer is an Epson 88+ (around $90). Your printer is going to have to be dedicated to one ink type, so decide before you buy it. Epson printers are recommended because of the print head and the ink required for heat presses.
If you are using just plain transfers the ink that comes with the printer works just fine, but you can also buy ink from many of the vendors listed on the left of this screen.(50 # & up).
This may be a stupid question, but what ink is required for heat presses? Dye ink or pigment?
The heat press doesn't really have anything to do with the ink being used. Think of the heat press as an oversized iron...all it does is get hot and apply pressure. If you are using inkjet transfer paper, the normal inks that come with your printer will work just fine. For example, going with an Epson C88 and using the Epson inks that come with the printer is very common.
Not necessarily. Pigment ink is what we suggest. The C88 is a pigment ink printer, that's why i used that as an example. Some printers are pigment ink printers, and some are dye ink printers. Dye ink is known to run more and not hold up as well when washed. Pigment ink will hold better. So, if you stick with the C88, the cartridges in there will work just fine.
I have heard a lot of good things about the C88, so i think I might go with that one. I would just use the stock ink then? The quality of it stays throughout many washes?
And then I could use Jetpro Sofstretch transfer paper with this printer and ink for light garments?
There's a few threads about the DAS Rhinestone System. I have it and I enjoy it quite a bit. I haven't had the time to really get into the type of designs I want to, but I'm going to soon.
These posts answered all my questions. Thanks all for the exceptionally helpful responses. Also found that the recommended Durabrite ink to use is what the printer comes with, in case anyone else was like me and looking for that info.
As for the software to use (this is only Photoshop vs. Illustrator):
PHOTOSHOP can manipulate almost any image type, though it is raster-based. Why is this bad? Because raster images are a collection of individual pixels. If you're image resolution is too low, you will see the pixelation. Not good. Open up any picture, continue zooming in, and you will eventually see what I mean. Keep your resolution above 300 DPI and you should be good.
ILLUSTRATOR, on the other hand, is vector-based. Instead of using pixels like raster images do, vector images use a mathematical measurement between two points, meaning there is virtually no quality loss, whatsoever, at any zoom level. Open up an Illustrator file in Illustrator to see what I mean.
So why doesn't everyone just use Illustrator? Well, computing those distances is pretty CPU intensive and complex. For something like a photo it is nearly impossible and pretty much unheard of. So Illustrator's forte is for stuff like logos and other simple designs.
Hope that helps.
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Last edited by Stretchymantis; March 22nd, 2009 at 05:46 AM.
Printers, Ink, Paper...oh my! 
